Independence (LCS 2) - Bath Iron Works

Wellness and BenefitsNew Health Advocate OnboardMaggie Kelley is BIW’snew Health Advocateas well as a familiarface to many as she previouslyworked as a nurse practitionerin the BIW Medical Department.After a period of a fewyears away, she returns as aCIGNA employee workingon site at BIW. She said, “I’mreally excited about this job. It’san excellent opportunity to usemy nursing skills in a new andexciting way by partnering with Maggie Kelleypeople about their health and well-being.”Her office is in the Bath in-yard ConleyTraining Center located between the ABand Pipe Shop just behind the lab. Youcan reach her Monday through Thursdayat ext. 4939, or 207 442-4939.Hers is a new position at BIW. ChrisMcCarthy (D49) said, “We wanted to fillthis position with a nurse practitioner whowill engage with our employees on site, notsomeone who you see just once or who isonly available by phone. All of those typesof wellness-related services can be beneficial,but do not address the needs of ourpopulation and their requirements, whichincludes shift work and ride sharingarrangements. This takes our approachto health and wellness outreach in anew direction, more towards engagingemployees and creating ways to makeaccess to information easier.”While located in Bath, Maggie will varyher schedule so that she periodically covers2nd and 3rd shifts, so someone attemptingto reach her by phone or stopping by duringthe day may find that her flexible workschedule means that she isn’t there everyday at the same time. “Leave a message onthe phone or a note on the door and I’ll getback to you pretty quickly,” says Maggie.“People can also let me know when andhow best to contact them. For example,maybe someone would prefer a call athome or an email.”She also will frequently visit otherfacilities and spend a lot of time out inthe shipyard—recognize her by her blue“Health Advocate” hard hat and likelybecause she’s carrying a backpack ofhealth tools and information.Feel free to stop her if youhave health-related concernsand she will set up a mutuallyconvenient time to talk.Maggie is not the personto contact for questions aboutwhat your medical insurancewill cover, although she canhelp you find that person.She is not administeringhealth care of the sort thatyou would obtain if youwalked into the BIW MedicalClinic, but she will quickly point you in thatdirection if needed.What she will do is provide basic healthassessments such as weight and blood pressure.She will discuss your health concernsor a diagnosis that you may have receivedfrom your doctor. She will link you withresources that may help you, recognizingthat physical health is impacted by a numberof life stressors such as mental health,family and personal relationships and financialwell being.She can talk with you about tobaccocessation programs and weight managementissues and about handling medical conditionslike diabetes, high blood pressure orasthma, to name a few. Maggie said, “I wantto stress that this role is not meant toreplace your relationship with your primarycare provider. I will not be treating you fora condition and I won’t prescribe medications,but I will assist you in finding answersto your health-related questions and provideinformation that helps you determinethe next step that is right for you and/oryour family.”Maggie added, “Confidentiality is importantwhen talking about health. Peopleshould know that I don’t automatically haveaccess to their medical information justbecause CIGNA has it. If you think I needto know something to be able to help you,your permission will be required before Ican obtain information through CIGNA orany other medical provider. You will alsoneed to sign a medical-release form forme to share your health information withanyone else.”All employees will soon receiveinformation by mail regarding BIW’snewest wellness program, the BIWHealth Passport. The first step inthe passport is to complete a healthassessment and develop a personalhealth plan. Maggie expects to play arole in helping people take advantageof this program which is designed tobenefit your health profile while offeringthe opportunity to win some prizesby participating. Remember, if youhave questions after you receive yourinformation in the mail, Maggie is oneof the people who can help you.Look for her blue hard hat and sayhello.Building Healthy WaysRemindsYouVOLUNTEERING IS HEALTHYBuilding Healthy Ways MVP Awardprogram recognizes two BIWemployees each month who giveback to the community by volunteering.If you or someone youknow volunteers, nominate them fora chance to win $150 for their volunteerorganization. More informationand nomination cards are availableonline at www.gdbiw.com/bhwor click “Building Healthy Ways” onBIW’s intranet home page.BIW NEWS | November 2009 | 5